Under-pressure Coleman denies players' rift

Fulham's manager Chris Coleman hit out yesterday at suggestions he might be sacked next week. Fulham have just parted company with two of his supporters in the boardroom, Lee Hoos and Andy Ambler, but Coleman said this was insignificant."

"Unfortunately people are putting two and two together," said Coleman, whose team are eight points clear of third-bottom Birmingham City but have played two games more. "My name has been mentioned, and some of my staff's names have been mentioned, in getting the bullet." His No2 Steve Kean is one.

The signing of the midfielder Simon Elliott has been blamed for causing unrest among the players, who take on Chelsea tomorrow and go to Aston Villa next Saturday. "There's a lot of talk about there being a rift in my dressing room and that there's a split in the club," said Coleman. "It's an absolute pile of nonsense. There's nothing I can say because people think I am covering whatever up." Elliott, a 29-year-old New Zealand international, arrived in January from Columbus Crew.

Coleman said he is straight-talking with the players but that is not a problem. "I'm honest with them and they're honest with me. I can say what I think to them and they don't take it to heart, or I would like to think most of them don't take it to heart. It's not personal. It's business."

Coleman admitted Mohamed Al Fayed is unhappy with the team's form. "He's like any chairman," Coleman said. "He wants the team to win. We've been on a poor run for the last four games." Fulham lost 5-1 at Liverpool on Wednesday.

The Welshman added the club as a whole had been unsettled lately. " In three years . . . I've had stick before but never that I've got two games before I'm out the door. I can't say that really bothers me but this training ground has got 150 people in it . . . people start to get a little nervous."

Luton's manager Mike Newell has agreed to sign a new four-year deal, ending persistent speculation that he would move to Leicester. Burnley have signed the striker Andy Gray on loan from Sunderland until the end of the season when a £750,000 move will be completed.